Humanitarian effort hampered by lack of access

Conditions in the quartering areas of former rebel soldiers and their family members has led to an increase in malaria, respiratory diseases and diarrhoea, UN humanitarian officials have warned. In its latest situation report on Angola, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said a lack of water and sanitation facilities in quartering areas was one of several critical issues that needed to be addressed. "Security assessments are urgently needed in Bie, Kuanza Norte, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Uige and Zaire provinces in order to expand humanitarian operations," OCHA said. Across the country, land mines and collapsed transport infrastructure remain key threats to the humanitarian effort. "In Kuito, Bie province, humanitarian agencies gained access to Caluapanda camp, after the National Institute for the Removal of Landmines and Unexploded Ordinance (INAROEE) declared it free of mines," OCHA said. However, also in Bie province, the area around N'dele quartering area was closed after an NGO truck returning from distributing food in the area detonated a landmine on 9 July. "In Lunda Norte, Kuanza Norte, Benguela and Moxico provinces, food supplies are limited, which may lead to increased hunger and food insecurity," OCHA warned. In Benguela province, more than 1,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from camps in Balombo, Ganda, Cubal and Bocoio returned voluntarily to their areas of origin. "[Humanitarian] partners have been unable to register returnees or verify their condition. Approximately 1,062 IDP families have arrived in Muaningo, Benguela and Lobito transit centres in search of food. The IDPs reported that they moved after the food-for-work programmes they were participating in Huambo and Bie provinces were halted," OCHA said. Partner agencies had reported that two landmine accidents occurred in Culango, injuring two children. "Due to a lack of funds, demining NGOs are unable to expand operations in the area. Partners are concerned about the condition of approximately 4,000 IDPs in Culango who lack water and sanitation facilities, blankets, kitchen kits and education for children," OCHA said. In Huila province Kuvango has been identified as a priority site for demining operations due to the number of IDPs likely to return. "Humanitarian partners are concerned about the existence of mined fields to the west of town, and the possible presence of mines on the Galangue to Chipindo road," OCHA said. The report said urgent food and medical assistance were also needed in the northern parts of the country. Meanwhile, the reunification of the splintered UNITA party has suffered a setback. The UNITA Renovada faction - which split from former UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi in 1998 - pulled out of a reunification meeting that was to take place in Luanda on Tuesday. George Nariens da Cruz, UNITA Renovada's secretary for information, told IRIN on Tuesday that his organisation had decided to boycott the meeting because the two organisations could not agree on the constitution of a new political commission. He said: "We did agree upon some principals with Paulo Lukama 'Gato' [UNITA's provisional leader] to unify the commissions and then elect transitory leadership until the UNITA congress. We were surprised when Gato came back from Europe and just cancelled everything and said he would give us another prosposal, up to now we are still waiting for a proposal from them." At issue was the number of UNITA and UNITA Renovada representatives that would sit on the reunified commission.